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Two prison officers, Joseph Oteng and Sergeant Isaac Boateng Bonsu, have appeared in an Accra Circuit Court on charges of aiding in the escape of Wang Xiao, a Chinese convict imprisoned at Nsawam Medium Prison.
Pulse.com reports that the accused officers face charges of conspiracy and aiding escape, stemming from an incident where they allegedly facilitated Xiao’s escape from custody.
Initially, Oteng and Bonsu claimed that Xiao escaped when they were approached by a vehicle outside a hospital after a medical visit. However, CCTV footage from a hotel has contradicted their account, revealing that they escorted Xiao to a hotel to meet his wife in a room.
According to the prosecution, the accused officers escorted Xiao to the hotel, where he and his wife fled through the room’s balcony while the officers waited in the reception area.
Despite pleading not guilty, the court, presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah, granted Oteng and Bonsu bail in the sum of GhC100,000 each, with two sureties to be justified. They are scheduled to reappear in court on April 9, 2024.
Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, leading the prosecution, explained that the complainant was the third in command at Nsawam Medium Security Prisons, and Oteng and Bonsu served under his supervision.
Alorwu detailed the events leading to Xiao’s escape, stating that on February 7, 2024, the two officers escorted Xiao to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment. After the treatment, Oteng and Bonsu allegedly agreed to accompany Xiao to a hotel to meet his wife in exchange for a reward of GHC1,000, which they planned to split.
Upon reaching the hotel, the officers removed Xiao’s handcuffs and accompanied him to the reception, where Bonsu informed the receptionist that they were there to see someone in one of the rooms. Xiao and his wife allegedly fled through the balcony while the officers remained in the reception area.
Following the escape, the officers reportedly hid the handcuffs at Tema Station Hockey and falsely claimed to their superiors that Xiao escaped in a taxi. However, further investigation, including CCTV footage from the hotel, revealed the true sequence of events.
The prosecution maintains that Oteng and Bonsu were complicit in Xiao’s escape and acted in breach of their duty as prison officers.
NKONKONSA.com
